SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — Sioux City City Council members have signed off on hiring four new police officers to the Sioux City force.

The request from Police Chief Rex Mueller received unanimous support from the council at Wednesday’s budget wrap-up for the 2023 – 2024 budget.

The next part of the process is up to the finance office to find funding for the four positions.

Mueller said that while Sioux City still trails other regional departments in manpower, the additional officers will allow the department to maintain public safety in a growing footprint.

“The footprint of this city is growing. We are asking our police officers to do more and more now than we ever have. We’re putting a lot on their shoulders and they’ve taken that on,” said Mueller. “We want to continue to maintain a level of service. We want to continue to do the small things and these numbers will help that. I’m very grateful, this is an investment in community safety.”

With the addition of four officers, Mueller said the department would be staffed with the equivalent of 131 full-time officers. The city’s next budget will be certified sometime next month.